The present invention relates to a humidifier which provides a fine control for the distribution of humidified air.
Humidifiers are principally used during the winter season to add moisture to room air. As is well known, heated rooms tend to have a low moisture content which can cause a number of problems. These problems include health problems and discomfort to occupants of the room, as well as the drying out of furniture, and excessive static electricity. With respect to personal health and comfort, humidified air can make the air feel warmer at relatively cool temperatures. Also humidified air protects the respiratory system of the body aiding the body's defenses against viruses and air pollutants. The moisture a humidifier supplies to heated air can help cold sufferers feel better by reducing dryness and irritation in the nose and throat. Humidification of dry air can also alleviate atopic dermatitis attributable to the dry air. A humidifier also may reduce static electricity, protect wood furniture as well as paneling and fabrics and may even protect computers from excessively dry warm air.
While there is general agreement on the many advantages provided by humidified air, there is some disagreement on the type of humidifier that is the most efficient for a given circumstance.
Recently developed humidifiers tend to have a water reservoir or water wicking element so as to increase the moist surface area thereby allowing more water to evaporate and become water vapor to moisturize the air. The wicking element is particularly suitable for a console humidifier or table humidifier and allows the humidifier to be smaller in overall size because more moist air is formed in a shorter period of time.
Although humidifiers have been provided for some time, the average humidifier either provides too much humidity or requires too much power to maintain a predetermined humidity level. When placing a humidifier in an area where the humidity level is low, the humidifier needs to be able to provide humidified air for distribution in the area somewhat rapidly. Improved humidifiers have been developed which provide moist air in adequate portions in relatively small humidifiers. This requires movement of a substantial quantity of air rather quickly and hence, requires a fan of adequate size. On the other hand that fan may not be able to reduce its speed sufficiently to provide only that amount of humidified air needed to maintain the desired humidity level. For instance, the typical fan motor provided to move the humidified air from the humidifier into the surrounding room atmosphere quickly is of a size which requires a minimum size of the fan motor to provide the starting torque. This minimum size drives the fan at too high a level to provide the slow speed the humidifier requires when only maintenance of the humidity is desired. Consequently, the humidity of the area may be maintained at too high a level and the extra power utilized is wasted. Furthermore, a fan of adequate size to transport enough moist air to humidify an area rapidly will have fan blades sufficiently large to result in a noise often found annoying.